Weighing mechanism



March 1959 E. w. VREDENBURG ,879, 70

wsmamc MECHANISM Filed may 20, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

fdric Ml Vredenburg A ME/H'BER OF THE F7 March 31, 1959 E. w. VREDENBURG 2,879,970

WEIGHINGMECHANISM Filed May 20, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 f2 :1 "1' r 6 EM IQ-EVA Ii g. 7

I N V EN TOR. Ea r/c M We denbury EC/(HOFF 2" SLICK ATTORNEYS March 1959 E. w. VREDENBURG 9,

WEIGHING MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 20, 1954 INV EN TOR. Ear/c M l/redenbur ECKHOFF 5- 5/. /C/( 47 ENEKS a 0 .4 MEMBER OF THE March 31, 1959 Filed May 20, 1954 'E. w. VREDENBUVRG 2,879,970

WEIGHING MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

Edr/c W- Vredenburg .9 .211 .20 ILi .21 ECKHOFF $7 52; y 4' @AA-fi A MEMBER OF THE FIE United States PatentO 2,879,970 'WEIGHINGMECHANISM Edric W. Vredenburg, Oakland, Calif. Application. May 20, 1954, Serial- 110343 1,022 1 Claim. -(Cl.249--60) This invention relates "to an improved weighing and container-filling mechanism, particularly one which can be utilized to feed a predetermined weight of -a'ma terial into a containersuch'asa valved-bag.

The machine of the present inventionis particularly suited'to the handling of those finely dividedsolidmaterials which do not flow readily into-a-containerand which therefore, are relatively difficult to handle.

It is in general the broad object of the present invention to provide a novelmachine enabling "finely divided solid materials to be weighed and packed-simultaneously into a container such as a bag, and this expeditiously and accurately.

A further object of 'thepresentinventionjs to provide a'novel feed mechanism for use ina batch-weighing and filling machine.

The invention includes other objects :and "features of advantage, some of which, together with the foregoing, will appear hereinafter wherein the present preferred form of filling and weighing machine of this inventioniis disclosed.

In the drawing accompanying and forming a part hereof, Figure 1 is a plan view of the assembled machine.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the machine shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a front elevation-of'the machine.

Figure '4 is a section taken along the line 4--4.in Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side view .of a portion of the weighing beam support.

Figure 6 is a section taken along the'line .66 in Fig- .ure 2.

Figure 7 is a section taken along the line 7-7'.-:in Figure 2.

Figure 8 is a section through the feed xzhopper sand bag-filling mechanism taken along theline -8-8 in Figure 3. v l

Figure 9 is asection taken alongthe line 9-9 :of Figure 10 and showing a portion of the structureutilized to .feed air into the stream undergoing batch weighing .and transport into the bag.

Figure 10 is a plan view of the air feed structure.

Figure 11 is a section taken along the line 11-11 in Figure 9.

Figure 12 is a Figure 10.

Figure 13-is a side view of the bag shaking mechanism section taken along the line 12-12 in partly in section.

Figure 14 is a plan view of the hopper, the hopper valve being in position for dribble feed.

Figure 15 is a plan view .of a portion of the feed mechanism.

Figures 16 and 17 are, respectively, fragmentary sections taken along the lines 1616 and 17----'.1'l .in Figure 15, showing the control -mechanism-forthe hopper valve with thelatter ,inzfull feed position.

Figures 18 and 19,.respectively,correspond to Figures 16 and 1 7 with the hopper valve in position for a dribble feed.

Figures 20 and 21 correspond to Figures 16 and 17, respectively, but the'levers are shown in that position in which the valve controlling feed from 'thehopper is closed.

Figure 22 is a front view of the spout shown in Figure 9.

Referring particularly to the drawings, the machine includes a suitable framework, generally indicated at- 12 andmade up of a plurality of suitable structural'members welded together to provide a frame for the machine.

Pivot blocks 13 are'provided upon opposite sides of an upper portion of framework 12 (Figures 2, 4 and 5) as a support for a weighing frame, generally indicated at 14. The frame 14 includes spaced parallel arms 16 having knife edges 17 riding on the pivot blocks 13. The arms 16 are joined at their rear ends by a first crossmember 13 by a second cross-member 19, from which rod 21 depends to support counterweights 22. A dashpot mechanism, generally indicated at 23, is attached to the rear end of the weighing frame 14 to dampen its movement.

At its forward end, the weighing frame 14 hingedly supports a depending bag support and bag filling mecha nism generally indicated at 26, and including at its upper end a feed hopper structure, generally indicated at 27, the latter terminating in a bag-filling spout 28 formed to receive the valve end of a bag; the bag valve is retained in place against the spout by toggle locking mechanism, generally indicated at '29 (a suitable structure mechanism for this is disclosed in my prior Patent 2,392,204). A projection 181 on the toggle mechanism opens and closes a cooperatively positioned switch by a .belt 39 which is also extended above a shive 40 on motor shaft 41.

Shaft 37 is mounted in pillow blocks '43 carried upon a bracket generally indicated at 44 and secured'to the frame 31. Alike bracket 45 is secured below bracket 44 and spring plates 46 and 47 are secured at their rear edges to each of the brackets. At their forward end, the spring plates support a pair of spaced vertical plates 48 carrying bag chair 49. At their upper end, plates 48 carry a member 50 which rides upon the eccentric roller 36.

When motor 33 is energized, the eccentric roller 36 rotates and so shakes or jiggles a bag on the bag chair 49. The motor 33 is only energized, however, when rectangular frame 31 is secured against movement and,

on the bag chair is independent of the support provided for the weighing frame 31 and frame 14.

To permit the frame 31 to move freely, is mounted on framework 12. Solenoid 51 has a plunger therein, not shown, from which a rod 52 extends and which is engaged with a link 53 at one end thereof. The other end of link 53 is joined to an arm 54 secured on a shaft 55; shaft 55 extends transversely of the framework 12 and is mounted in suitable pillow blocks 60 on each side of the framework 12. When the solenoid is energized, the cam 56 is held free of follower 57 and the frame 31 can swing freely.

Referring to Figures 8 and 14 through 20, the feed hopper structure 27 includes an upwardly extending fixed portion 61 which fits over the downwardly depending portion of a chute 62, the latter being mounted on the upper end of frame 31 (Figures 4 and 8). Deflector plates 63 and 64 are provided within the chute 62 for cooperativefeed of material, as will be explained, with the feed control valve 66. The feed control valve includes an arcuate portion 67 secured between opposite arms 68 secured to transverse shaft 69 and fitting across the throat provided by the sidewalls of chute 62 and plates 63 and 64; the arcuate portion 67 includes a cutout or dribble feed portion 71.

The rectangular bottom of spout 28 respectively extend a solenoid 51 chute 61 and the bottom of at an acute angle of about and about 15 to the horizontal, the upper face on r the chute and spout being provided with a porous canvas channelled plate 110 having a passage 112 supplying air to portion 118 of the canvas closure beneath the spout and passages 113 each supplying air to portion 119 of the canvas closure below the chute 61 (Figure 10). In its 1 forward portion 118, the canvas closure 110 is secured I i by a metal flange 123, which fits beneath the lower edge 124 of an arcuate guide plate 126 in spout 28. The spout 28 is detachably secured by studs 127 to frame 31, with the forward portion spout and covering spout bottom 128. Various sizes and shapes of spouts can be employed as desired. Air is supplied continuously from feed mechanism 114 at about two pounds per square inch pressure to the space between the plate and the porous canvas closure 110 through air inlets 116 and the distributing duct 117. The air issues through the outlet port 180.

To control operation of the device, a release or setting lever 72 is provided on shaft 69 at one end, while at its other end, the shaft includes a pair of dogs 76 and 77 cooperating, respectively, with notched levers 78 and 79; notches 81 and 82 in levers 78 and 79 are staggered, for reasons which will appear. Each of levers 78 and 79 includes a projecting end which is moved selectively by solenoids indicated at 84 and 86.

The operation of the device and further details of its construction will become further apparent from a consideration of the following further description of the device and its operation.

When a bag is placed with its valve on the spout 28, the bag lock 29 is closed to secure the bag in place, switch 100 returns timing mechanism, generally indicated at 101, to its starting position, the solenoid 51 is energized and the frame 31 swings freely. When the operator rocks the release or set lever 72 clock-wise in Figures 2, 1619, shaft 69 is turned to move the dogs 76 and 77 to the moves on its pivot support and extension 87 moves switch 120 to energize solenoid 86. This energization of the solenoid enables it to lift dog 77 from its engagement with notch 82, permit- 118 extending into the I ting shaft 69 to rock partially, under the bias of the feed control valve 66, and move the arcuate portion of the valve 66 into dribble position in which it appears in Figure 14. The dribble feed continues until the full weight of material is within the hopper and the bag, whereupon the weighing frame 14 closes switch 121 and energizes a circuit including solenoid 84 and dog 78 is released from its engagement with notch 81. This permits the levers to move into the position in which they appear in Figures 20 and 21, and in which the throat of the feed hopper is fully closed. The closing of switch 121 also results in de-energization of the solenoid 51 and the clamping of the weighing frame in its closed position by spring 58, and energization of motor 33 under the control of the timer 101. The rotation of the motor continues for some seconds under control of timer 101, during which the hopper falls quickly and the dribble feed skids off the closure and into the bag, thus enabling the overall cycle of loading to be reduced to a minimum of time.

or example, utilizing the equipment on lampblack, the filling time of 50 pound bags was at a sustained rate of four bags per minute with an accuracy of plus or minus two ounces per bag. A

I claim:

In a filling device for weighing a finely divided solid into a valved bag including a stationary frame; a vertlcal hopper fixedly 2379 970 5 a weighing frame supporting said passage and said spout, reached for permitting said cam lobe moving means to said Weighing frame being balanced on said stationary advance said lobe to contact said cam follower whereby frame; a valve mounted in said hopper controlling feed to move and lock said weighing frame between said cam from said hopper; means controlled by movement of the lobe and said stop member when a predetermined weight weighing frame for moving said valve first to an open 5 of material has been Weighed; and means for actuating position to provide a bulk feed, then from an open posisaid vibrating means to apply a vibratory force to said tion to a partially closed position to provide a dribble valved bag as said predetermined weight is reached, said feed and finally to a closed position when a predeter valve is moved to a closed position and said weighing mined weight is reached; means for vibrating the lower frame is locked.

portion of a bag secured to said spout; a cam follower 10 secured to said weighing frame; a cam having a lobe References Cited inthe file of this patent thereon adjacent said follower secured on said stationary frame; means for moving said cam lobe into contact with UNITED STATES PATENTS said cam follower to move said Weighing frame; a stop 1,852,376 Rees Apr. 5, 1932 member fixed to said stationary frame on the far side of 15 2,076,617 Cleaves Apr. 13, 1937 said weighing frame opposite said cam lobe a distance 2,097,551 Garlinghouse Nov. 2, 1937 from said weighing frame such that when said cam lobe 2,116,934 Rapp May 10, 1938 engages said cam follower and said Weighing frame is 2, 81,756 Cook Nov. 28, 1939 moved thereby, said weighing frame contacts said sto 2,232,437 Bushman Feb. 18, 1941 member whereby said weighing frame is locked between 20 2,346,882 Vredenburg Apr. 18, 1944 said cam lobe and said stop member; and means operable 2,402,217 Vredenburg June 18, 1946 by said weighing frame when a predetermined weight is 2,723,054 Louden et a1. Nov. 8, 1955 

